Chapter 1

Gigi Hart was reborn, and the first thing she did was drop 50 million dollars on a secluded private island.

The salesperson handling the paperwork couldn't believe it. The island was a total mystery, cut off from the rest of the world, and wasn't even on the map. It seemed to have vanished from civilization entirely.

"Are you sure about buying this island, Ms. Hart? Living here means it'll be tough to reach the outside world."

Gigi nodded, as if a weight had been lifted off her chest. "Perfect. That means no one can disturb me."

The salesperson paused, seemingly thrown by her request. But he kept it professional and didn't pry any further. Instead, he walked her through the purchase procedure and informed her of the move-in date.

When she found out that the paperwork would only take a few days, she breathed a sigh of relief, swiped her card, and headed out.

Gazing up at the perfect blue expanse of sky, Gigi finally breathed easy. The island was funded by the wedding gift Rylan Bowen had given her.

He was the richest man in Veritas and never one to hold back. When it came to her wedding gift, he didn't blink before handing over 50 million dollars to her.

But she didn't get to spend any of it before she died in her last life.

Luckily, she received a second chance and was reborn right after their engagement. This time around, she made herself a promise not to settle for less than she deserved.

The moment Gigi set foot on the street, a black Maybach came to a sudden stop in front of her. The car door flew open, and Rylan came straight at her.

He had always kept his cool, but now he looked rattled. Behind those icy eyes was a hint of worry he couldn't quite mask.

It was the first time she had laid eyes on him in her new life. She called out to him without even pausing to think. "Rylan."

He barely glanced her way before grabbing her wrist and yanking her toward the car. "Come with me right now, Gigi."

Gigi tumbled into the back seat, hitting her head with a dull thump. Rylan kept his eyes on his phone, as if she were invisible.

The car flew down the road and screeched to a halt outside the hospital. Before the car had even come to a full stop, he was already pulling her out and dragging her toward the transfusion ward.

He didn't give her an explanation until she was already sitting across from the nurse, watching her stick a needle in her arm. "Catherine took a bad fall down the stairs, and she's bleeding a lot. They won't be drawing much blood from you, so don't worry about it."

She didn't even get the chance to speak before a slap landed hard across her face.

"Where did you run off to, you brat? Didn't I tell you to stay with your sister at all times? Why did you leave her side?"

The slap stung like hell, and the pain brought tears to her eyes right away. She looked up at her furious mother, Meredith Durham, and she was unable to say a word.

Donovan Hart, her father, pulled Meredith into his arms—his eyes were no less angry. "Are you trying to give us all heart attacks? If anything happens to Catherine, I'll skin you alive."

Kenny Hart, her brother, didn't even spare her a glance. "I say we tie her down so she doesn't keep sneaking off."

They were Gigi's so-called family. They were more than ready to rip her apart for her sister, Catherine Hart, over something as small as being gone an hour.

Rylan was the only one who didn't completely turn on Gigi, but he was still all about Catherine. "Knock it off. Don't mess up Catherine's transfusion."

Who would care about her? She was just here to keep Catherine alive.

Gigi was brought into this world because Catherine had hemophilia and needed constant blood transfusions because of her clotting disorder.

Gigi was never Donovan and Meredith's daughter, but Catherine's living blood supply.

The difference in their names said everything. Catherine's name was graceful and elegant, while Gigi had been two random syllables slapped together.

Growing up as Catherine's blood reserves left her arms looking like a pincushion.

Love was a luxury she never got. Donovan and Meredith saw her as a tool, and Kenny regarded only Catherine as his younger sister.

Gigi was always the one who didn't belong, and only Rylan cared about her.

The Bowens and the Harts went way back. Rylan was six years older than Catherine, but despite the age gap, she still called him "Rylan."

Gigi was raised in a family that didn't care about her. It was no surprise she fell for Rylan—the only one who made her feel seen.

He had been caught off guard and didn't exactly look thrilled when she had confessed to him, but he said yes anyway and promised to marry her.

She had been on cloud nine as her crush liked her back. It seemed all the luck she had in that life went into getting him to love her back.

So even if her family didn't love her, she could live with it. It wasn't until later that she found out that Rylan's heart had always belonged to Catherine.

Rylan only married Gigi because he was afraid she might marry someone else and stop donating blood to Catherine, leaving Catherine's survival in jeopardy.

He loved Catherine so much that he was willing to sacrifice everything if it meant she would be safe.

Gigi had been played like a fool, blindly happy that she was going to marry Rylan. Everything had been so laughable.

The emergency room doors swung open, and the nurses wheeled Catherine out. Donovan, Meredith, Kenny, and Rylan darted toward Catherine, leaving Gigi behind like she was nothing.

Gigi couldn't help but feel sick watching them shower Catherine with affection and care. She bitterly chuckled as she shook off the dizziness. Then, she rolled down her sleeve and walked out.

After leaving the room, she took one last look at the dazzling engagement ring on her finger. Without a second thought, she yanked it off and tossed it into the trash.

In this life, she wasn't going to beg for her parents' affection anymore, and she definitely wouldn't cling to Rylan like he was her lifeline.

She didn't need anyone. If the world made Catherine the princess and Gigi the afterthought, she would give that love to herself.

Chapter 2

Gigi was always left feeling drained for days after giving blood to Catherine. This time, it hit just as hard.

The rest of the Hart family had been keeping watch over Catherine at the hospital for the past few days, so Gigi was the only one at home.

She stepped out of the room with a cup in hand. Before she could see who was outside, a box came flying at her and nailed her right between the eyes.

The familiar pain left no doubt. It had to be her "beloved" mother.

"What's going on with you, Gigi? Why haven't you read the message we sent?

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Did you ignore the message to upset Catherine? I raised you for nothing, you ungrateful brat!"

As the yelling went on, Gigi wiped the blood from her forehead, pulled out her phone, and opened WhatsApp.

Gigi finally saw the message her family had sent this morning. Catherine was being discharged that day, and they expected her to have Catherine's favorite chocolate cake ready to welcome her home.

She barely had the energy to stand after giving blood, let alone bake a whole cake from scratch. Besides, she had been groggy all morning and completely missed the message.

She was ready to explain herself, but then she looked up and spotted Rylan and Kenny carefully helping Catherine into the living room.

They attended to Catherine's every need with meticulous care, even propping her up with pillows so she could sit more comfortably. They even handed her water at just the right temperature, treating her like royalty.

Kenny glanced at Gigi with a hostile look, the warmth in his gaze replaced by biting sarcasm and indifference. "Do you really expect her to make a cake for Catherine? Keep dreaming.

"All she does is sit at home doing nothing. She barely knows how to take care of herself, and she's got no hobbies—unless you count those pathetic doodles. She's nothing compared to Catherine."

Her whole life revolved around giving blood to Catherine. Whatever time was left, she spent resting at home.

How could she have time for hobbies? It wasn't like she had ever had the chance to explore anything the way Catherine had.

What Kenny had dismissed as worthless drawings had been the only dream Gigi ever clung to in her bleak life. She had heard those words more times than she could count, but they still cut deep every single time.

Rylan glanced sideways at Gigi, stepping in to defuse the situation like he always had. "Was the blood donation yesterday too much for you, Gigi? Did it wear you out?"

Back in the day, hearing him defend her like that would have melted her heart. At least somebody cared about her health and noticed how she felt.

But after being reborn and learning the truth, she found it ironic. He had only stood up for her to keep up the act that he loved her.

He had barely needed to try. Her love had made it easy for him to wrap her around his fingers until she couldn't let go. But this time, she wasn't falling for it.

Upon hearing Rylan's words, Catherine pretended to be considerate and softened her tone. "It's fine. I don't need cake. Gigi's rest is more important."

Kenny glared at Gigi with contempt, making it obvious how fed up he was. "Why bother worrying about her, Catherine? She owes you everything.

"After all, you're the only reason she entered this world. You were always too soft on her. Her existence only has meaning if you're happy. Got it?"

The unfiltered words hit Gigi like a punch to the gut. For a moment, it felt like her heart was being ripped apart.

They were her family too. She was still a person with thoughts and emotions and could feel pain just like anyone else.

But none of that had ever mattered to anyone. No one had ever cared.

…

At the dining table, everyone doted on Catherine like she was made of glass.

Donovan and Meredith made sure her plate was never empty, while Kenny carefully picked out every single fish bone before serving her.

All the food on the table was something Catherine loved.

Gigi kept her head lowered, preoccupied with shoving the food into her mouth, when someone put a piece of shrimp on her plate. She looked up at Rylan, then glanced at the shrimp before sporting a wry smile.

It was funny how he still remembered to pretend to love her. But if he had loved her, he should have realized that shrimp was Catherine's favorite. Worst of all, Gigi was allergic to seafood.

All the signs that he didn't love her were right there, but she was so desperate for a scrap of affection that she couldn't see it until it was too late.

Just as they were finishing up, Donovan and Meredith brought up Rylan and Gigi's wedding.

At some point, tears had gathered in Catherine's eyes, and she gently set her fork aside. "I'm not doing so great lately, Mom, Dad. I don't think I'll be able to make it to Gigi and Rylan's wedding, but it means a lot to me to be there. Why don't we delay the wedding until I'm feeling better?"

Everyone in the family bent over backward for Catherine, so why was she pretending to be all shy and considerate?

Donovan, Meredith, and Kenny immediately agreed. However, Rylan paused for a moment, looked Gigi's way, and gently asked, "Are you okay with it, Gigi?"

Chapter 3

Catherine had used that excuse to keep putting off the wedding year after year in Gigi's past life.

Rylan would never marry Gigi unless Catherine gave in. The thought made Gigi chuckle bitterly. "Sure. Anything is fine with me."

What difference did it make now? It wasn't like they were ever getting married anyway.

Gigi set down her fork and knife, mumbling, "I'm full."

Then she headed straight upstairs without looking back.

Watching her walk away with that determined look, Rylan felt for the first time—something about her had changed. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but she wasn't her old self anymore.

With the wedding postponed indefinitely, there was no reason for them to continue planning.

Rylan suddenly had all the time in the world to travel around with Catherine. She also went out of her way to invite Donovan, Meredith, and Kenny—everyone except Gigi. She played it off by saying Gigi needed to recover after giving blood.

They were living it up like a happy family. If Gigi went, she would stick out like a sore thumb. There was no point in making herself miserable.

Catherine snapped photos everywhere they went and sent them straight to Gigi, rubbing in just how much fun their vacation was.

With the stunning view behind her, she stood right in the middle of them, beaming as she basked in all the affection showered on her. "It's such a shame you couldn't make it. This place is gorgeous.

"Dad and Mom said if I really like it here, they'll buy me a place so I can come and relax anytime. Kenny told me he'll always be by my side, no matter where I want to go, Gigi.

"Rylan even gave me an amazing gift while we're here. Do you want to know what it is?"

Gigi deleted all the photos Catherine sent, then turned off her phone and started packing her stuff. She only had to get through it a little longer, and she would be free.

Suddenly, she caught the sound of something stirring downstairs. Her hands stopped in place as a few memories came rushing back to her.

She recalled them clearly. In her past life, it was around this time that a thief broke in, stole the family's priceless jewelry, and destroyed all her artwork.

Gigi's instincts were on high alert. The money didn't matter, but those paintings were everything to her.

With that thought in mind, she quickly stashed her artwork, called the police, and grabbed a knife before hiding quietly behind the door.

Having already gone through it once, she used that to her advantage and helped the police catch the intruder.

Unfortunately, she was no match for his strength. Knowing his next move didn't change the fact that he overpowered her.

Gigi ended up with multiple injuries and even took a nasty fall down the stairs, her face a bloody mess.

The Harts and Rylan got back just in time to see the police driving off. Sitting on the couch, she looked like a wreck, and the house was a mess.

Donovan and Meredith were shaken to the core. Donovan's voice even cracked a little. "Y-You caught him on your own? Why didn't you call us? Burglars are dangerous. Were you trying to get yourself killed?"

Even Kenny, who always acted cold and distant, looked genuinely surprised. "What the hell? A burglar shows up, and you don't even call your family? What's that supposed to mean? Are you trying to make us look like the bad guys or something?"

Gigi was so worn-out that she couldn't even speak. She sank on the couch, her hand still trembling from wielding the knife earlier.

Rylan saw her hand shaking and rushed over, gently taking it in his. "Are you fine, Gigi? Did you get hurt? Do we need to take you to the hospital? You're so silly. Why didn't you call us?"

She pulled her hand away and murmured, "What's the point? Would any of you have actually come back for me?"

Everyone flinched at her words. Guilt flashed in their eyes, but they still pushed back. "Of course we would."

Gigi let out a self-depreciating chuckle. Last time, she actually believed they would come back, so she called each of them. But none of them picked up her call.

She ended up getting caught for making those calls behind the burglar's back, and he nearly killed her for it. She only found out later that they spent the night enjoying fireworks with Catherine.

They were somewhere safe and happy while she was on the brink of death. So this time, she relied on no one but herself.

Seeing how calm and composed Gigi looked, Rylan couldn't help but furrow his brows. Once again, it hit him just how different she had become.

Back then, an incident like this would have left her in tears, feeling hurt that they didn't show up. But this time, she was so calm, like none of it mattered anymore.

Right when Rylan was about to say something, Kenny suddenly noticed the luggage scattered on the floor and called out behind Rylan, "Why are you packing? Are you going somewhere?"

Chapter 4

Rylan turned around sharply, his expression tightening. "What's this about, Gigi?"

A jolt ran through Gigi. She had been so caught up dealing with the burglar that she forgot all about the luggage she had left in the room.

Her fingers twitched slightly under her sleeves before she smoothed her expression into a smile. "Watching all of you go on trips made me want to clear my head too, so I packed ahead. Now I just need to decide where to go."

Donovan and Meredith's expression dropped. "Seriously? You want a getaway, huh? Didn't I make it clear? You're not allowed to leave Catherine's side.

"What if Catherine needs a blood transfusion and you're not around? You know exactly why we brought you into this world. Put everything back. You're not going anywhere without our permission."

Noticing nothing seemed off with Gigi, Rylan breathed a sigh of relief. "Next time you want to travel somewhere, go with us. It's not safe to go alone."

A hint of amusement flickered in Gigi's eyes. The place she had in mind wasn't one they would ever reach.

…

Catherine and Gigi's birthday came a few days later. They were three years apart in age, but their birthdays lined up perfectly.

Year after year, they only ever had one cake and lit the candles just once.

Back then, Gigi was too innocent to question it. Donovan and Meredith said one cake was enough since they shared a birthday. But with how well-off the family was, that excuse didn't hold up.

They just didn't care about how she felt, and they definitely didn't want her birthday to steal any of Catherine's spotlight.

The birthday party was decorated in Catherine's favorite color. Everything was pink—roses, balloons, and the cake.

Every gift was for Catherine alone. All eyes were on her as she stood alone in the spotlight, soaking up everyone's birthday wishes.

"Happy birthday, Catherine."

Catherine's eyes sparkled like diamonds as she opened her presents, glowing with happiness. Meanwhile, Gigi stood in the corner, like she didn't even belong.

Looking puzzled, Catherine held up a gift box and waved it in front of Rylan. "Why did you give two gifts, Rylan?"

With everyone watching closely, he handed the other box to Gigi. "This one is for you."

Catherine's expression changed briefly, but after both gifts were opened, she was all smiles again.

After all, Rylan had given her a one-of-a-kind designer necklace that was worth a fortune. Meanwhile, Gigi's present was merely the free gift that came with it.

The crowd chuckled. "Great. The free gift suits Gigi."

In truth, Gigi had always been Catherine's shadow, so Rylan's gift couldn't have been more fitting. She kept her mouth shut and slipped the gift into the trash can when no one was watching.

After the party ended, Catherine announced on a whim that she would be driving everyone home. She had just gotten her license and was eager to use it.

With that, she excitedly headed off to the basement parking lot. Donovan, Meredith, and Kenny were more than happy to indulge her, so they waited at the entrance for her to bring the car around.

Gigi stood alone at the back, staring down at her toes. She was doing the math on how much longer the paperwork would take and how soon she could leave it all behind. She had no idea a car was closing in from behind her.

The car slammed into her with a screech of tires, throwing her to the ground. As her vision blurred, the last thing she heard was Catherine's fake, panicked crying. Then, everything went dark.

…

When Gigi came to, she was already in the hospital. The pain came rushing in as the adrenaline wore off. She slowly opened her eyes and realized she was lying on an operating table.

Her body felt weightless, as if her soul might slip right out of it and float away. Was she dying? Was that why everything felt so dreamlike?

The pain was unbearable. She shut her eyes feebly, letting the darkness swallow her whole.

On the other side of the wall, the doctor was speaking with the rest of her family. "Time is running out. She is bleeding heavily and won't make it without a blood transfusion.

"The hospital blood supply is critically low, and your other daughter has the same blood type. Why won't you allow her to give blood to Gigi?"

The Harts turned down the idea in unison. "No! Catherine isn't doing it."

Gigi's consciousness was fading, and she could barely hear their voices anymore.

Just before she blacked out, she heard Rylan's voice—sharp and unyielding in her ears. "That's right. Catherine isn't giving any blood."

Chapter 5

Gigi had given Catherine blood more times than she could count. But she never expected that nobody was willing to use Catherine's blood to save her when she was staring death in the face.

She figured she had seen enough to stop caring. No matter how her family hurt her, it wouldn't get to her anymore. But at that moment, their cruel words still hit her like a ton of bricks.

The pain was so intense that it knocked her out cold. She didn't wake up until three days later. This time, she felt more drained than ever before.

The first person Gigi saw when she opened her eyes was Rylan. He looked like he had been sitting by her bed for a long time, with a hint of exhaustion on his face.

When he saw she was awake, the icy expression on his face eased ever so slightly. "You're finally up, Gigi. Are you in any pain? Do you feel hungry? The doctor said you lost a lot of blood and need to rest. Just tell me whatever you feel like eating, I'll get it."

Watching him fuss over her like this, she found it hard to believe he was the same cold, heartless man who stopped Catherine from giving her blood.

If she hadn't heard it with her own ears, she might have been moved to tears by how gentle and caring he was.

After Rylan left, Gigi asked the nurse who was administering her an IV drip, "Who gave the blood that saved me?"

The nurse sighed and paused for a moment before replying, "Your family was really something. We tried everything, but they still refused to let your sister give blood.

"Thankfully, we had your blood type in our records. We managed to reach a doctor who was off that day. It turns out he also has Rh-null blood. He rushed back and donated blood just in time to save you."

After saying that, the nurse looked at her with a puzzled look. "Are you adopted into the family? Is the man just now your brother-in-law?"

Gigi froze for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh. She didn't stop until a single tear slipped down her cheek.

She spent her days in the hospital without a single visit from Donovan and Meredith. Only Rylan stayed and looked after her.

She realized this was how he ensured she would stay loyal and obedient, so she would continue to be Catherine's walking blood supply without protest.

At the hospital, his mind was clearly elsewhere. He was either taking calls in the hallway or staring at his screen with a smile.

Gigi knew it was Catherine on the other end of the phone. Rylan only ever smiled like that when it was her.

…

On the day she was discharged, he showed up as promised to take her home. But just as they stood outside the hospital, he picked up a call, and his expression changed drastically.

He was usually hard to read, but right now, anger was written all over his face. He tightly gripped his phone until his fingers turned pale, like he was barely holding himself together.

Rylan muttered, "Something urgent came up at work, Gigi. Can you grab a ride home on your own?"

Gigi calmly nodded, thoughtfully telling him to handle the company stuff first and not to worry about her.

He got in the car, looking like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. She watched the car vanish from sight and smirked.

She knew what had set him off, and she also knew where he was rushing off to.

Just a moment ago, Catherine posted a selfie on her Instagram with a ridiculously good-looking guy. The caption read, "A cute guy asked for my number. Should I say yes?"

Catherine had always known how to make men fall head over heels for her. Gigi used to get jealous over stuff like this, but she had grown past that. At this point, she had her own things to take care of.

She put her phone away and headed straight to the police station.